UoN scientist receives Ian Wark Medal

The Australian Academy of Science
recently awarded the Ian Wark Medal to the University's Professor Kevin Galvin for his
invention of the Reflux Classifier.

The medal recognises research that contributes to
the prosperity of the nation, through the advancement of scientific knowledge
and its application.

The Reflux Classifier is an industrial machine that
saves the global mining and minerals processing industry billions of dollars by
separating fine particles on the basis of either density or size. Since 2005, 22 units have been
sold into seven countries including Australia, China, New Zealand, United
States, India and Mozambique.

"This recognition is a
wonderful honour, and something that I value highly," said Professor
Galvin.

The invention works by using a system of inclined
channels attached to a conventional
fluidised bed. The inclined channels permit significantly higher feed rates and
improved separation performance as a result of the higher shear rates in the
channels.

This is one of many accolades for the Professor
Galvin who has also won the Queensland Enterprise Workshop Innovation Award for best invention in
2003, the ACARP national Award for Research Excellence for Coal Preparation in
2004 and the Business and Higher Education award for the best Research and
Development Collaboration in 2005.

"This invention is very important to me. I am
extremely grateful for these awards and accolades but I am even more thankful that
it has made an important impact in providing solutions for Australia's minerals
industry."

"As a 'Career Award', there are many
individuals over the past decade who have contributed to the success of the
work, and I want to acknowledge the efforts of all of my past and present
students and research staff," he said.

The medal was presented to coincide with a
symposium in Canberra where the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources
(NIER) presented its views on the critical need for research and innovation if
Australia is to meet its clean energy targets.

Professor Galvin is the Director of the
University's Centre for Advanced Particle Processing and Transport. The purpose
of this research Centre is to address important problems for the mineral
industry, the largest single contributor to Australia's exports. The research is
aimed at developing innovative processes which maximise the separation of
products from waste material, and use methodologies that reduce water and
energy usage.